[HCMC | EuroCham x Construction SC] Breakfast Talk: The Future of Modular Construction
Other Organizers
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EuroCham's Construction Sector Committee
Vietnam’s construction industry is evolving rapidly to meet the demands of urbanisation, infrastructure development, and sustainability. As cities expand and project timelines tighten, Modular Construction is emerging as a game-changer – offering faster, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solutions. But how ready is Vietnam to embrace this transformation?
In this exciting Breakfast Talk co-organised by EuroCham and its Construction Sector Committee, we will explore:
- Industry pioneers and role models leading Modular Construction globally and in Vietnam.
- Key trends shaping the future, from AI-driven design to 3D printing and smart modular buildings.
- Opportunities for Vietnam, including affordable housing, green buildings, and industrial expansion.
- Challenges to overcome, such as regulatory barriers, supply chain constraints, and workforce adaptation.
With Vietnam’s booming real estate and infrastructure sectors, Modular Construction presents a unique opportunity to build smarter, faster, and greener. Join us as we uncover what’s next for this innovative approach in Vietnam and beyond!
Details of the event:
• Date: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
• Time: 08:30AM – 11:00AM
• Location: Wink Hotel, 75 Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1, HCMC
• Fee:
EuroCham members: 300,000VND/pax
Non – members: 500,000VND/pax
*The fee for this event has been partly sponsored by our co-organizer. The displayed rate is the discounted rate.
• Contact: Ms Khanh at eventsupport@eurochamvn.org for more information
*Please note that cancellation must be made at least 48 hours before the event; otherwise, full charge (300,000VND/pax for EuroCham members or 500,000VND/pax for non-members) will be applied due to obligation with venue.
Speakers
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Jacobo Perez PolainoGeneral Manager of Sika VietnamJacobo is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the construction and manufacturing industries. A MSc Civil Engineer by training, he has led businesses and teams across five geographies in Europe and Asia.
Starting his career in site management, Jacobo progressed to overseeing multimillion-dollar operations with multiple manufacturing sites and hundreds of employees. He has a strong track record of driving revenue growth and profitability through market expansion and operational excellence.
Passionate about multicultural environments, he values diversity and respect as key drivers of success. His expertise lies in market penetration, value-added solutions, and people development, having mentored talent who have risen to leadership roles within the company.
Since joining Sika Vietnam as General Manager in 2020, Jacobo has been instrumental in driving the company’s continued growth and market expansion in Vietnam. Under his leadership, the business has strengthened its market presence and achieved sustainable, long-term success.
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Han HoangFounder & CEO of The FAB FactoryHan Hoang is an avid entrepreneur who has founded and co-founded several innovative startups in Vietnam since 2010. Born in 1975, Han left Vietnam at the age of 9 and resettled in Los Angeles, California, with his sister. Immersed in LA culture, he later pursued his undergraduate studies at Woodbury University in Burbank, specializing in Architectural Design. He earned his degree in 2000.
His academic journey continued at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he completed his Master’s in Architectural Studies in 2005, with a keen focus on advanced automated construction technologies—a precursor to his future innovative endeavors. At MIT, the Design and Computation Group recognized Han with the Research Scholarship Award.
Before his time at MIT, Han honed his skills as a design associate and urban planner in Los Angeles, working on various significant commercial and entertainment projects across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Arizona. His professional path took him to New York, where he joined Bovis Lend Lease as an assistant project manager for various large-scale hospitality and residential developments. He concurrently taught as an Adjunct Professor at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) from 2005 to 2006.
Han returned to Vietnam in 2008 as a private Project Developer with a deep-seated passion for integrating architectural design with cutting-edge technology. Growing up in the United States and receiving a world-class education at MIT equipped Han with a unique global perspective and advanced technological expertise. This enabled him to identify opportunities for innovation in Vietnam’s construction industry. Driven by a desire to contribute to his home country, Han’s vision to transform Vietnam’s building landscape through technology led him to establish successful companies pioneering technological advancements in the sector, such as THE BIM FACTORY and THE FAB FACTORY.
Besides his leadership at these companies, Han continues to contribute to Vietnam’s technological and design landscapes. Since 2017, he has been an influential figure in the Ministry of Construction’s BIM Steering Committee, helping to shape Vietnam’s BIM Roadmap. His career is a testament to his lifelong commitment to fusing design and technology to create cohesive, innovative solutions.
With over 20+ years of industry experience, Han’s mission is to develop novel technological processes for design, engineering, manufacture, and construction, maximizing developments to create cost-effective solutions from transportation to housing for the entire human race. This is why he has founded his companies and focuses on specific products and services to understand, learn, and eventually make his lifelong vision a reality.
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Lawrence MbanuProject Management Director of Indochina KajimaOriginally from the UK Lawrence is a construction and project management professional with over 28 years of experience in the sector. Having worked in UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and India he has been working primarily in Vietnam since 2001. Lawrence started his career as a Project Engineer and followed a career path from Construction Manager to Project Manager to Project Director to Regional Head and for the last 5 years has led Indochina Kajima’s Project and Construction Management team developing the Wink Hotel Chain and Core 5 Industrial Parks. With extensive experience working for Sub-Contractors, Main Contractors, Project Management Consultancies and Developers, Lawrence has a unique insight of the construction industry in Vietnam, Asia and the UK.
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Christophe MermazCo-Founder & CEO of C-CubeChristophe Mermaz has over 25 years of experience in industrial business management across Europe and Asia.
In 2019, he co-founded C-CUBE in Vietnam alongside Fabrice Dumont, CEO of SP Groups, a Europe-based expert in life sciences engineering. Together, they introduced an innovative approach to constructing life science modular facilities using industrial methods. They secured funding from the Saint-Gobain Group (www.saint-gobain.com).
After refining their concept for several years, C-CUBE successfully installed its first modular vaccine production unit in Europe for a leading pharmaceutical company. Building on this success, they are now expanding into Asia and the Middle East.
Today, C-CUBE is one of the few global suppliers capable of delivering turnkey modular facilities for the life sciences sector.
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Kien HoangDirector of ArupKien is a Structural Engineer with experience in both Building and Bridge engineering. He graduated in 2001 with a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Upon graduation he worked in London for 8 years and subsequently Hong Kong for 7 years before to moving to the Arup Vietnam office in 2016.
During this time, Kien has been involved in high profile projects with world-renowned architects including Foster + Partners, Roger Stirk Harbour & Partners, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and Buro Ole Scheeren, with built projects in Europe, America, and Asia. He has also been involved in a number of award-winning international architectural competitions, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
In addition to practising, Kien is regularly involved in lecturing and tutoring, including at Imperial College, London and Hong Kong University (where he was Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture), Hong Kong Design Institute, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has also been responsible for a number of pro bono projects including work with Habitat for Humanity and other educational charities in London.
As Building Team Leader of Arup Vietnam, Kien is responsible for the delivery of Arup’s offerings in Structural and Building Services Engineering throughout Vietnam, and has led the structural design for the Landmark 81 Tower from Concept through to completion. He is currently working on several high-profile projects throughout Vietnam for domestic and international Clients, including the new Long Thanh Airport Terminal Building in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as the 88-storey Thu Thiem Observation Tower.
Event Descriptions
Date
- 25 Mar 2025
Time
- 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Location
- 75 Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1, HCMC
